I bet you were wondering
by brittbug
Summary: A young girl finds herself in a terrifying situation due to a terrible mistake...what will she do to get out alive?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own True Blood or the characters appearing in this fan fiction. I do however own my original character, and anyone that does not appear in True Blood!**

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How did I go from watching my cheating ex-boyfriend marrying my sister to being locked up in a dank, foul-smelling basement and chained like a animal to a wheel that was something out of a medieval torture chamber, with only a bucket to relief myself in? Hell of a question. Truth is I just don't know how I got here.

"What's wrong, Lily?" asked Cam, one of my closest friends and cousin.

"Oh…uh…I have a headache. I think I'm going to head home early. I've got work in the morning."

She knew I was lying.

She knows I have a problem with my sister Rose, and her decisions. For god's sake, she was only nineteen, and she thought she has found the love of her life? I'm twenty-two and have only had one serious boyfriend, and he cheated on me with her. Now she's marrying the prick.

As I watched my sister on the dance floor, with her long, blonde hair in an elegant twist at the nape of her neck, and her tiny frame hugged perfectly in her wedding dress, I couldn't help but compare myself to her.

Here I was wearing a purple, satin dress that went right below my knee and puffed out at my waist, the bridesmaid's dress that I knew Rose had picked to make me and the other bridesmaids look insignificant to her in every way. Cam, who was in the same dress, looked at me with sympathy in her eyes, "If you want to go, I'll cover for you."

I gave her a desperate look and then said, "Thanks so much, Cam!" With that, I hugged her, before grabbing my purse, and rushed out the door before my sister could see me leaving.

She'd probably think I was too ashamed by the situation. Rose has always been like that though. She had always gotten what she wanted or couldn't have, or so she thought. Even when our parents were alive, she had always been their favorite.

As I got in my car, I realized that what I really needed was a drink. I drove a short distance and found the closest bar in Shreveport. As I sat in my car and looked at the exterior, the look of the place alone made chills run up and down my spine. I had never seen this bar before, but I knew from the name that it was probably trouble. I just didn't care. "Fangtasia," I said aloud to myself. I was hesitant about going in, but I really needed that fucking drink.

I had to wait in line to get inside, but when I arrived at the door, I was carded by a woman who I just knew wasn't human. She asked for my I.D. She wore black leather pants, a leather jacket and high heeled shoes which contrasted well with her long blonde hair. I was fairly used to being carded, since I'm so small, people don't believe I'm over twenty-one. At only five foot four, I have a youthful face, but usually the size of my boobs gives away my age.

"You may enter," said the woman, with a thick southern accent, looking at me with a gleam in her eye.

When I finally got inside the club, I was both disgusted and intrigued. Everyone was either grinding against each other or staring at the beautiful vampires. I went straight to the bar and asked the bartender for three vodka shots as I sat on the barstool in front of him. It had been a rough day, and I deserved it. He showed some fang as he handed me the shots, and as I downed the first one, I grimaced as the hard alcohol burned its way down my throat.

"You better slow down honey," said the bartender, "people here might get the wrong idea."

"I think I can manage myself," I said, smiling sweetly. He smiled and turned away.

I looked around the room once more, taking in the frightened yet intrigued tourists, the leather clad fangbangers, and the vampires who nobody could seem to take their eyes off. I saw some people kneeling at vampires' feet, and I knew they wanted to be their next meal.

After I finished those three, I had another round. I looked around the room once more, and left, oblivious to what was going on around me, though I felt a bit odd like someone was staring at me.

As I walked outside and made it to my car, fumbling for my keys, I realized I was in no state to drive. I would just have to take the bus.

As I started heading towards the bus stop, I passed a dark alley. The bus stop was on the other side of the alley, so I either had the choice of walking around the block to get there or taking a short cut through the alley. Since my headache was starting to become a reality, I was in no mood to take the long way. I stepped into the darkened alley and started walking briskly. I hadn't gone far when I heard a rustling to my right and saw a man rise up with his back to me. Another man was lying on the ground at his feet. When he turned around, I saw a man I recognized from the bar.

He was tall and lanky with dark features. He had greasy black hair, with pieces of it falling in his eyes, and a slightly grey goatee. As I reached into my purse for the pepper spray, half knowing it probably wouldn't protect me from this type of attack, he approached me, and I stood my ground, knowing that running wouldn't help. He looked like he had just eaten, judging by the blood around his mouth, and was looking at me like I was dessert. His next words confirmed it.

"Well, don't you look delicious in that little prom dress you've got on there?" he said before licking his lips.

"I would stay away if I were you," I said, pretending to act tough. Maybe he would think I had a gun or something. He had a mischievous grin on his face as he walked aggressively toward me. I tried to back away, but he grabbed me and pinned me to the brick wall.

"This is it!" I thought. "I'm going to die in a dark alley on the night of my sister's wedding and the happiest day of _her_ life. _Perfect._"

He leaned in to take the bite, but as soon as he made contact with my neck, he jumped away as if he'd been burned, putting some distance between us. I raised my hand to my neck and felt the area he had attempted to bite and realized that I was wearing my silver necklace from the wedding. "I thought silver only worked on werewolves?" I whispered more to myself, preparing to run away. When I looked back at him, he had the eyes of a devil.

I was practically paralyzed with fear, but when he tried to lunge at me, I came to my senses and jumped out of the way. The force of the momentum propelled him forward, and he fell on a broken down, wooden packing crate. I was a mere two feet away from him and noticed that a piece of wood from the crate had pierced through his chest and was sticking out of his back. The next thing I knew, he was falling apart like a melting candle, and his remains sprayed onto my dress.

I sprang back and away as fast as my drunken legs would allow. Screw the bus. I decided to run all the way home, losing my shoes in the process. Besides, what would the people on the bus think of a girl in a fancy blood-soaked dress trying to get home in the middle of the night? I only ran half the way, because I realized that running so hard for so long in my drunken state was only going to make me vomit, so I calmed down and thought about what had just happened.

"So, my first solo encounter with a vampire wasn't the greatest. Better him than me though, right?" I asked aloud to no one in particular.

I almost couldn't find my small place due to the fact that every house on my street looked the same. As I made it to the front porch, I unlocked the door and stepped into the darkness of the hallway. I turned on the light, walked through the house to the kitchen, turned on that light as well, and heard the sound of quiet mewing. I went to the kitchen sink and saw the stray neighborhood cat rubbing against the window, begging to come in.

"You must me hungry, little fella!" I exclaimed, happy to see a friendly face.

I went to my cabinets and got out a bowl and a can of tuna. I opened the can and dumped the contents into the bowl, then went outside to set it down on the back step. As soon as I opened the door, he was meowing loudly at me and sought out the bowl hungrily. I closed my back door and sat with the cat, while he ate, and gently stroked his back. I was just sitting there thinking about everything when I sensed that I wasn't alone in my back yard. I looked around carefully and found no one, but I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

"You're just being paranoid, Lily!" I thought, trying to reassure myself. It had been a very stressful day, and now I was going crazy.

I shook off the feeling, gave the cat one last pat, stood up, and turned to go back into the house. As my hand reached for the knob, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head, and everything went black.

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**Author's note: Hey guys! We just got a Beta, because we were receiving some complaints, so we are going to be reposting all of the first five chapters along with the sixth one soon. ******


	2. The Room

I woke up with a massive headache, having no idea where I was or how I had gotten there. I opened my eyes enough to see the room I was in.

It resembled a dungeon you might see in horror movie, it had cracked walls, old rusty pipes dripping small amounts of rusty water, but what frightened me most of all was what I was attached to.

I just realized that I had what resembled a metal dog collar fastened around my neck. The collar was attached to a pole in the ground, which in turn linked to a circular device on the ceiling. I knew I wasn't taken by any human. After all, what human could possibly do something like this to their own kind?

I looked around again and noticed that I was not the only person chained up in this dungeon. There were three other people, an older man who was curled up on the ground and a younger man, not too much older than me, sitting against a wall in the corner that appeared to have something like whip marks on his back. The other man had dark skin and was on the ground leaning against the wall desperately trying to get the drips of water that came from the ceiling. It appeared to be no use because he would spit it up in disgust immediately after. I decided not to talk to any of them. I needed to find a way to escape from this Hell.

I do not know how much time passed, but I suppose it was a few days. They had brought another man in, one who talked to the desperate man. They were trying to devise an escape plan. At this point I was so deep inside my own mind and my own plans of escape that I barley heard them.

I spent my time feeling around the damp floor, trying to find something to be able to break the chains with. My attempts became feeble and I had to retreat back into my mind and ask myself, _Why am I here? What did I do to deserve something so awful?_

Just when I thought my hopes were as low as they could possibly be, someone came downstairs into the dungeon and pulled the older man out screaming. I heard screams above for a few minutes, but then all noise evaporated. Any shred of hope I had of getting out of here alive had left me.

I thought of my sister. Even thought she was never the best sister in the world, I missed her so much at the thought of never seeing her again. I started to cry. The eyeliner and mascara I wore to the wedding appeared in my tears. I looked down at my body, and noticed that my legs and feet were filthy, and that my dress had been torn so that it came above my knees. My pantyhose, which I borrowed from Cam just for the wedding, were in horrible condition. I then closed my eyes as tears still fell from them and drifted off into an uncomfortable sleep.

When I awoke, I had a crick in my neck and my head hurt from the floor. I heard the door at the top of the stairs open.

The man who came down was not unknown to me. I tried to place his face with the little sanity I had left, and then it clicked. He was the bartender at the vampire bar I went to the night I got taken! That must be where I am.

I realize that he is walking towards me. I did not scream, but I stupidly attempted to scramble up and hide behind the wall. He got in front of me and looked at me with a stony expression. He then unhooked my collar and led me up the stairs, holding my arm. Did he really expect me to run?

We entered a lit room on the other side of the door, which caused my eyes to sting. They haven't even seen artificial light in days. There are a few doors spread around this room, which I suppose is in the back of the bar.

Even though, I was almost positive what comes next, I did not scream. I figure it would buy me some time to try any last pathetic escape ideas I have. He opened one of the doors, and left me in what I assume is meant to be a storage room, even though there is nothing in it.

"What did I do?" I asked him right before he closed the door. He paused, "I'm not the person to ask", he said bluntly, and then shut the door.

I heard a deadbolt slide into place. I heard his footsteps die away. I then looked around for any way to escape. The wall was drywall, which meant it would be easy to break through, but I wasn't sure how much time I had, and I had almost forgotten that a vampire would easily hear what was going on if I started smashing in dry wall. I gave up.

I sank into one of the corners of my new cell, awaiting my fate, not knowing where to turn. I thought about what the vampire said about him not being the one to ask.

It had only been about an hour, but I wanted to scream more than I have ever wanted to do anything. Not because I thought it would do any good, but because I thought it would feel good to release. I couldn't risk it, though.

I heard footsteps on the other side of the door. I pushed my back against the wall so hard, hoping I would somehow be pushed through it and back to my house. The footsteps got closer and closer until I heard the deadlock slide open on the door.

The man that entered scared me shitless. He was not the same man that put me here. He was about a foot taller than me with relatively long blonde hair, broad shoulders, and piercing blue eyes. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, but also more frightening, mostly since he was a vampire and I was a human he could kill as easily as I could kill a fly.

He shut the door behind him, and just looked at me, still sunken in to the corner. I looked back, taking in his every feature. I noticed that he was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt, very vampire like, I thought. I wanted to talk, but could not find my voice. Luckily, he spoke first.

"What's your name?" he asked his voice deep and smooth as silk.

This was no time to be stupid, but I didn't want a vampire to know my name, and I'm a good liar. "Lucy", I said confidently.

He gave me a dark half-smile. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to rescind that before we continue?"

Shit! How did he fucking know? No use lying now. "Lily, my name is Lily."

"Good. Now Lily, do you know why you're here?"

I honestly had no idea so I told him, "No, I'm not sure why I'm here".

"Are you certain about that?" he asked, his face expressionless.

"Yes, positive", I said, not knowing what else to say. I was telling the truth, but clearly he didn't believe me.

"Stand up", he said icily. I was too nervous to comply right away.

I blinked and he was over me. He grabbed my arm and yanked me up. As if I wasn't cornered enough before, now I was actually being cornered in a corner.

"Tell me what you did", he said, looking down at me.

"I swear I have no idea what you're talking about. You have the wrong person". I could feel the tears building up.

If he was angry before now he was furious. He apparently thought he knew I was lying. He grabbed my elbows in a steel tight grasp. I tried to squirm free, but my attempts were futile. The tears were now flowing freely. He shoved me up the wall so that my feet were dangling and we were eye to eye.

"P-please tell me what you think I did, because I swear I didn't do anything", I said in barely more than a whisper.

"You staked a vampire and you act as if I am playing games with you", his words were low and deadly.

I had no idea what he was talking about, and then it clicked in my mind. "That vampire staked himself", I said automatically, "and he deserved what he got, he was trying to kill me!" The mood wasn't any lighter and he didn't release me, so I guess I said the wrong thing again. Oh, fuck me! Shit!

"Perhaps if you get a taste of death you will be ready to give me something of value", he said moving his hand down to my wrist and stroking the veins with his thumb.

"I told you everything I know. I don't know what you want to hear." I knew that was the stupidest thing I had ever done the moment the words left my mouth. He let me fall, and I made the silly mistake of thinking he believed me. I tried to inch away, and I got a good three feet from him before he was in front of me once more.

"You _will_ tell me everything", he said, his fangs extended. With that he vanished and the door shut, once again locked. I then put my head on the floor and shrank into a ball, once again letting tears fall from my eyes.


	3. Games

The next day, all I could think about was him, and those sinister fangs. He could have bitten me. _Will he kill me if I can't give him anything of use?_ I asked myself. I wondered if telling him what he wanted to hear would make things better or worse for me. I needed to think quickly. I didn't know if he would come back again tonight, but I decided to stick with the true story. I didn't think it would matter either way.

For hours I laid on the floor, thinking about all the possible outcomes of my situation. He could suck every drop of my blood out, he could torture me or, though the chances were almost nonexistent, he could let me go.

I didn't know if it was day or night, so I stayed away from the door. I wanted so bad to kick it open, but I wasn't that stupid. I looked at the door for a long time, thinking.

I finally got enough courage to slowly inch my way to the door. I put my hands on it and pressed my ear against it. I heard nothing on the other side, only the sound of my jagged breath. I stood up and pushed the door as hard as I could, while trying to make as little noise as possible. I was so frustrated that I accidently let out a scream.

I was silent for a minute, but heard nothing. "Shit!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, and then slid down the door until I was sitting, with my head in my hands. I didn't even realize that I had fallen asleep.

No one came in for what I assumed was another day. I was starving and my throat was so dry due to the lack of water. I still laid next to the door until I heard footsteps approaching my cell. I quickly crawled away from the door and watched as the door unlocked and swung open.

He entered with a woman, who I recognized was the same person who had checked my I.D. to get into the club. I noticed that their fangs were fully extended, and that they shined blood. I backed up into the corner and looked up at them. He looked different. His hair was now a lot shorter. He wore jeans again, but instead of a t-shirt, was wearing a dark blue workout jacket. I couldn't help but admire his beauty, despite everything that was going on. I hated myself for it.

"Well, Eric", said the woman, "I'll leave you two alone to chat." And with that, she left, shutting the door behind her.

I looked at him, liking that now I could put a name to the face. Eric. His fangs were still out, but the blood was gone now. _Had they just killed someone?_ I tried not to think about it.

"Have you decided to confess to what you did", he asked, "or are you going to continue to be stubborn?" When he spoke, I think I stopped breathing for a few minutes, but then I regained some sense of _what_ I was talking to.

I gathered all my strength to be able to stand up. "I have already told you everything", I said hoarsely, "and I don't understand why you care so much why I confess if you are so sure that I did it."

When he didn't say anything, I continued. "Why can't you just let me go or glamour me?" I asked desperately. I gathered some strength to say, "There will be police looking for me and you can bet you will go to jail for this!"

Next thing I knew he was right I front of me with his fangs fully exposed. "Do you really think threatening me will make anything_ better_ for you?" He straightened up to his full height and noticed me flinch. He smiled his dark grin, and then walked to the other side of the room to open the door. I was relieved.

"Follow me", he said from the doorway. I froze. I couldn't will my legs to move.

"That wasn't a request", he said dangerously low. I attempted to move my legs, and they did, but at a way to sluggish pace. He walked over to me and took my wrist, having to half drag me out of the room.

A few seconds later, he opened another door. It looked like a normal office. There was a desk filled with papers, some filing cabinets, and a black leather couch, which looked a bit shiny and wet. I had to look at it twice to realize the couch was covered in blood. I backed away quickly and ran into the doorknob. I had no sense left. Eric was in the room with me, but I felt the doorknob behind me. I needed to distract him.

I remembered my silver necklace. I still had it on. I yanked it off my neck and threw it hard as I could at his head. I didn't see what happened because I had flung the door open and was now running as fast as my legs would carry me. I found the exit door, but it was locked. I tried pulling frantically, not noticing that someone was behind me. "Second time that's happened", Eric said, "Luckily this one missed."

I froze the second I heard his voice. I turned around to see him smiling at me. He turned and walked back towards the office. I followed, knowing I had no where left to go. He shut the door behind me before walking to the desk. My eyes were still drawn to the blood soaked couch.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked, not looking away from the couch.

"I've decided that there is a possibility you are not lying", he said, studying a file on his desk.

"Does this mean you're letting me go?" I asked.

"It's too soon to tell," he said, "Besides, you're lucky I didn't kill you because of that stunt you pulled."

I sat on the ground and thanked God that I was still alive. I put my head in my hands and began to sob softly. I picked my head up and saw that he was looking at me.

"If you believe I didn't kill that vampire, then why won't you let me go?" I continued to cry, but I stared him straight in the eye.

"I said I _may_ believe you, and besides, I may want to keep you", he said so seriously that I thought he was joking.

I stopped sobbing now. "Keep me?" I asked sarcastically. He must be crazy to think I would agree to that.

"Well I'm not sure yet", he said, walking over to where I was and kneeling down beside me, "there is one more thing I must know." He took my wrist again, and his fangs ran out.

Eric looked straight into my eyes with no emotion at all. My eyes grew wide and I could not look away.

He spoke, "Lily…try not to worry so much. You are perfectly safe."

"I am?" I asked in disbelief.

"Of course you are." He replied with a smirk, "You would only be in danger if you had done something wrong which you did not, right?"

"Right!" I said with a smile.

"Good girl." He was now inching my wrist closer to his mouth.

"Oh, and Lily could you do one little thing for me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's that?" I asked with that dumb smile still on my face.

"Trust me." And with that, he sunk his fangs in to my wrist. The sensation caused a moan to escape my lips. Nothing had ever felt so good.


	4. Closeness

When I awoke the next day, I had no idea what happened. I was still in Eric's office, but couldn't remember what happened after I tried to make my grand escape. I was lying on the couch, which had been cleaned, thankfully, and my clothes had been changed.

_What the hell! Did he fucking see me naked! That sick perv! _I thought, getting steadily angrier, studying my new sweat pants and tank top. I looked down at my hands, and noticed two small holes in my left wrist. "Oh my God!" I said aloud, even though I was alone.

"That bastard fed on me!" I yelled, not caring who heard. I didn't understand why I couldn't remember an event so significant… Unless he _did_ glamour me.

I got slowly up off the couch, nervous I would pass out. I didn't know how much blood he had taken. I walked over to the door, half thinking it would be locked, but to my surprise, the doorknob turned, and I swung the door open.

I entered the same room I had tried to escape through last night. All the other doors were shut, and locked, I assumed. I knew he didn't trust me that much. I looked at the clock on the wall. It read four o'clock. I knew he would be here not too long from now.

I was contemplating what to do when I heard a door open behind me. I froze. I wasn't sure if I should turn around.

"Hi there!" the voice of a ditsy barmaid called. "I'm Ginger," she said, handing me a bottle of water and a pop tart.

"Thanks," I said, gulping the water down. I looked back at her, standing a few feet from me with a ridiculous smile plastered on her face.

"After your done eating, why dontcha go take a shower," she inquired, "There's another change of clothes in there for you." And with that, she left, still smiling gaily, to go tend to the bar, locking the door behind her.

I walked over to the door she had indicated. I turned on the light, and saw a dingy bathroom with a shower somehow crammed in. I was relieved to feel the hot water beating down on me, but I was still uneasy on what had happened, and what was going to happen.

I got out of the shower and changed into the jeans and t-shirt that had been left for me. I was surprised at how well they fit. I walked out of the bathroom to see Eric in front of me. I flinched noticeably, and he smirked back at me.

I was mad, and I was going to show him. "What did you do to me?" I asked angrily, showing him my wrist. "Huh? And if I can be glamoured, then why am I still here? You obviously know everything, and got something in it for yourself as well! Let me go!" I nearly screamed at him.

He raised his eyebrows at me quizzically. "I won't let you go for your own safety." He continued, "and besides Lily, I like you."

"I'll be safe, as long as I'm not with you!" I said loudly. "And speaking of which, did you change my clothes?"

"No, I had Pam do it," he said. I assumed that was the woman vampire.

"At least allow me to explain my reasoning about your safety," he said, gesturing back to his office. I hesitated, and then followed.

"Well…" I said, sitting down in the chair opposite him.

"The vampire who attacked you," he said, "had many offspring. They knew that he was planning on killing you, but you beat him. They also know that I was the one who had you, and they expected I would kill you. When they find out you are not dead, and believe me they will, they will start looking for you, which is why you must stay here under my protection."

"If you are so keen on protecting me, then why did you drink from me?" I nearly spat.

"I drank from you, so that you in turn will drink from me. I will know if you are in danger that way."

"Fine", I didn't know why I said that, but it felt like the right thing to do. I think I was suddenly nervous about the other vampires that would possibly take me. I think deep down, I wanted the feeling of security, and if that meant trading blood with Eric, so be it.

He walked over to my side of the desk and sat next to me. I feel like I really saw him for the first time, and I couldn't help but want him near me. I noticed his striking beauty more now and couldn't look away from his perfection.

He bit his wrist, and held it up to me. I was hesitant, but drank reluctantly. His blood was thicker than normal blood. I could feel it running down my throat and drip down my chin. I couldn't get enough of it. I heard him let out a soft moan. He then placed a hand on my neck and gently pushed me away. I unlatched from his wrist reluctantly and looked up at his face. His eyes were closed as he lifted his arm and rubbed his open wound with his thumb as it healed at an alarmingly quick rate.

I was watching his ministrations closely as I felt his blood through out my body. The blood also branched off into other things. I could feel the reality of how old he was, I could feel his confidence and don't-give-a-fuck attitude, and I could feel what he was feeling, and damn was I feeling something! His arousal became my arousal and his confidence became my confidence. With that I boldly kneeled before him and took his arm, replacing his thumb with my lips. I felt his eyes on me as I kissed up to the inside of his elbow. I then looked up and locked eyes with him. His eyes were wide and full of passion which sent me rushing forward so that our lips were finally connected. I could feel that we were linked and I knew he was feeling everything I was feeling. He pulled me onto his lap our hands roamed each other's bodies.

I could feel his blood running through my veins, and I wanted him, no, needed him.

Eric then stood up with my legs hooked around his waist, still kissing madly, and I pulled off his t-shirt. He returned that by ripping off mine. We found our way to the couch, and he was on top of me. I grabbed for the button on his jeans, and yanked them down, admiring what I saw underneath. He grinned back, sliding my underwear off.

"Now", I gasped, and with that he shoved into me. I moaned loudly, letting the pleasure ripple through me. "Harder", I whispered, and he obliged. He found my wrist again, and bit and I screamed, unable to suppress it, it felt so amazing. He found my breast, and began to caress it softly. We continued like that for a while longer.

A few minutes later he asked, "Would you like to again?" he repositioned himself on top of me. I was surprised, but ready.

He thrust into me once more, and it was like having Christmas and a birthday melded into one life altering day. It seemed like he got deeper with every thrust. He began kissing my neck lightly, then completed on a lovely note.

"That was…That was…"

"Flawlessly perfect," he finished for me.

He sat on the floor while I laid on the couch, stroking my hair, and looking at me lovingly.

"Can I ask you something?" I said, looking into his eyes.

"Anything," he said soothingly.

"Are those vampires really going to come after me?" I whispered

"Don't worry about that. I will be here to protect you, and besides, they are young, and not very powerful." He said reassuringly.

I felt better after hearing him say that. I could still barely wrapped my mind around the fact that the man who I had feared would kill me, had taken me and made love to me. It was real but it still felt dream like.

Even through the perfection and his words, the evil vampire who had gotten staked continued to pop into my head. I wondered if they could find a way to get to me, even with someone like Eric watching over me. It worried me, but I attempted to put it out of my head. I shivered.

"I _will_ protect you," he whispered in my ear. I felt safe and believed his words completely.

He continued to stroke my hair, as I drifted off into a deep sleep.


	5. Good Night, Bad Day

The sun was shining through the windows of the office when I woke up the next day. I could not comprehend that I had just had sex with the most beautiful and frightening man I had ever met.

It was hard to believe that just a few days ago I was his captive.

It was a little past two o'clock, and I went into the bathroom to find a sky blue sundress folded neatly on the counter. After I took a shower, I threw on the dress and came out to find Ginger across the room smiling at me.

"Hi!" she said cheerily. "Do you need anything?"

"No thanks," I replied, studying the fading fang marks on her neck.

"Okey dokey, then. I'll see ya later!" She walked out, to go tend to the bar, I thought.

She was nice, but I was glad she was gone. I needed some time alone with my thoughts. I remembered Eric's reassuring words about protecting me from the vampires, but I still continued to worry. I walked back to Eric's office and looked around the floor.

I saw my silver necklace in the corner of the office. I picked it up and fastened it around my neck. It saved my life once, who's to say it can't again? And besides it would be against young vampires. _Eric would protect me, wouldn't he?_

Ok, I suppose thinking isn't really what I need to be doing at the moment. I opened the door to the bar. I had never been in the actual bar area before, but it was a little corny and very stereotypical.

Black and red were the main colors, and there were vampire movie posters hanging on the walls. There were tables, of course, but what distracted me was what I saw on a raised platform.

There were three chairs, but the one in the middle could have best been described as a throne, and I pretty strong feeling that I knew who usually occupied it. I laughed to myself.

Ginger was behind the bar, cleaning and organizing. I figured I could something to occupy me. "Hey", I walked over to the bar, "want some help?"

"Oh, that so sweet of you, sure, it'll be nice to have someone to talk to!" She smiled giddily.

"So", she said, "I heard you and Eric are like a thing now… Is it true?"

I had to think about that for a minute. Sure, we had sex but he could come in today wanting nothing to do to me. I frowned. "I'm not really sure," I told her in a way so that she knew I didn't want to talk about it.

Time was flying by. We were just talking while cleaning glasses and putting bottles back where they belonged. It was a lot of fun having another girl to talk to again. I didn't even realize how late it was.

There was a bottle on one of the top shelves that had fallen onto its side. I was reached up to get it, but it was way too high for me. So I did what any short girl does when she can't reach something. I stood on my tip toes, and I jumped awkwardly. I heard a low laugh from behind me. I felt him walk up behind me and saw him pull the bottle with ease, and then set it upright.

I turned to look at him and gave him playful glare. He then bent down to my height and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. His cold lips made me shiver. He then took my hand and was leading me out of the bar area and to the back.

"Where are we going?" I asked, and then noticed that I had a huge smile plastered on my face.

"My office," he replied, looking back at me smirking. My grin only got larger.

We walked into the office, and after I was safely in, he shut the door behind him. He walked to his desk and I turned to look at him, surprised by how serious and grim his expression was. He gestured for me to sit, and I did, though I was nervous at what he was going to tell me.

"Lily", he said, "You no doubt remember what I told you about those young vampires and it is my responsibility to let you in on the situation. You see, as I had figured, they knew you were not dead, and they were furious. I can try and keep them in check, as I am their sheriff and they are all almost eight hundred years younger than I am, but they are willing to die in order to avenge their maker. That will make them very dangerous. As I have told you before, I _will_ protect you, but there is a chance of them getting past me, since I have never met any of them. If that happens, I will do _anything_ to get you back."

I stared at him in awe for a few minutes. I swallowed hard and whispered, "If they know I'm not dead, where do they think I am?"

"We have spoken with them, and I told them that you managed to escape by taking silver to me," he said with a solemn smile, "But they know your scent from the alley in which you were attacked, so I would not be surprised if they come back here, but I urge you not to worry in spite of what I have just shared with you."

I knew that my face was horror struck. Eric walked over to my side and knelt down and kissed me passionately and lovingly. I returned it, but I felt tears start to stream down my face. He pulled away from my lips and stroked my face, wiping away the tears I hadn't realized had fallen. "As long as you are with me, you are safe. I would do everything I my power to end them if they so much as tried to lay a finger on you."

"Will I be safe here?" I sniffled.

"Safer here than anywhere else," He held my hand in his, and even though it was cold, it emitted warmth.

I walked over to the couch and lied down. He came over and crouched next to my head and stroked my hair like he did the night before. I smiled with my eyes closed.

"Eric, can I ask you something? " I inquired.

"Anything", he replied.

"Do you think that two people who barely know each other can love one another unconditionally?" I lifted my head of the couch a bit so that I could read his expression.

"Yes", he knew that was all he needed to say. I was in love with him, and he with me.

"What are you going to do tomorrow?" he asked me. He was truly interested.

"Well, I'm hoping I can do things in the bar again. It was really fun and made time go by fast." He looked at me quizzically.

"Fun?" he said, "Really? You have fun cleaning up a bar all day? You are very curious." He nudged me playfully.

"What can I say? I'm one of a kind." He raised his eyebrows at me, and I laughed at how he looked at me.

"You are one of a kind," he said lightly, "perfectly unique."

I giggled and he joined me. "I want to take you somewhere tomorrow," I looked up at him, curious at his words.

"Where?" I asked.

"It's a surprise, but I promise you will love it."

I smiled again, and closed my eyes. They didn't open again for the rest of the night.

I woke up at eight o'clock, ready to start the day. I went out into the bar, not surprised I was alone, and began picking up things, and making the bar spotless. A few hours went by before Ginger came in. She looked happy to see me, but I could tell she was happier about me cleaning up, even though I wasn't quite done yet.

"How was your night?" she asked.

"It was good, but I need to find another place to sleep that isn't a couch." We laughed at that. Ginger went into the back room to go do some organizing or something, so I was left alone again, but I didn't mind.

I heard a knock at the front door that made me jump. Ginger was still in the back, so I looked out one of the windows and saw a delivery truck parked out front. I went to the door because I assumed it was a package of supplies for the bar.

I opened the door and saw that the man was holding a bouquet of beautifully arranged flowers. The delivery man looked shaken up and nervous. Having a rough day, I supposed. I smiled brightly at him.

"Lily Brand?" he asked very politely. He looked very pale.

"That's me," I answered surprised. This must be part of Eric's big day for me, I though excitedly.

The flowers were long stemmed red roses and white lilies and were hand-tied in a red ribbon. The arrangement looked gorgeous and probably smelled just as great. The only downside was that they made me think of my sister, Rose. I wondered what she was doing with her new husband. I wondered if she was worried about where I was. She loved me, despite the fact that she was very self centered.

"Thank you so much! Do I own you anything?" I asked with out thinking. What was I going to pay him with?

"Nope, you're covered." He said smiling. I looked out to his van and saw the passenger side door open but the driver's seat was empty. The man still hadn't left and was looking at the flowers expectantly. Now that my attention was on the flowers I leaned in to smell them.

I closed my eyes, expecting to receive a pleasant smell, but was surprised by the burning sensation of my nose and my eyes began to water. I opened my eyes and felt my head spinning so I turned around to sit down in the bar. I then saw that another man had grabbed Ginger and she was struggling in his grasp.

"What the…" I dropped the flowers and looked back at the man in front of me with terror. He made his way for me and before I had a chance to scream my knees gave from under me and everything went black.


End file.
